Leading Planned Change Resource Section “It is a terrible thing to look over your shoulder when you are trying to lead – and find no one there.” Franklin Delano Roosevelt Purpose To have participants reflect upon their readiness for change, as well as the readiness of their congregations, and to see how well they are doing in following the basic steps needed for change to be effectively implemented. Theological Reflection Change is a normal part of life – God’s creation is always evolving. Life itself is a journey, and the Bible is full of journey stories. In each case people had to listen for God’s call, leaving something behind and moving into God’s vision of the future. In the story of the Exodus we trace one of the great journey stories of all times, and Moses is a prime example of a leader able to manage both the change and the journey required to bring it to fulfillment. And through it all blows the spirit of God, guiding the people in pillars of cloud and fire. Special Instructions If presenting this module to mixed clergy/lay groups you may want to structure your small group discussions around congregational teams to promote agreement among clergy and lay leaders about steps to be taken. Related Modules Exit and Entrance: Patterns, Emotions and the Wilderness Leadership for Our Time Planning for Effective Ministry Transition Copyright © 2011 CREDO Institute Inc., et al. All rights reserved. 8/1/2011 Bibliography Bridges, William. Managing Transitions, 2nd Edition; Cambridge, MA: DaCapo Press, 2003 – describes model of transition vs. change, how transitions effect organizations, and what an effective leader in times of transition should do. Heifetz, Ronald A. and Linsky, Marty. Leadership on the Line: Staying Alive through the Dangers of Leading. Boston, MA: Harvard Business Review Press, 2002 – conversational in tone, this book offers practical advice on strategy and caring for self when in a leadership position. Kotter, John P. Leading Change. Boston, MA; Harvard Business School Press, 1996 – a professor from the Harvard Business School outlines an action plan for leading change. ____________ and Rathgeber, Holger. Our Iceberg is Melting: Changing and Succeeding Under Any Conditions. New York, NY, St. Martin’s Press, 2005 – a fable about a group of penguins who need to change that can serve as a book for reflecting on one’s own change situation; brief descriptions of Kotter’s basic steps for managing change. Rendle, Gilbert R. Leading Change in Congregations: Spiritual and Organizational Tools for Leaders. Herndon, VA, The Alban Institute, 1998 – provides several lenses for looking at change in congregations and a number of useful exercises to help leaders think through the ramifications of the change and how to plan; some of these exercises might be useful as substitutes or adjuncts to this module. Other Resources William Bridges uses the story of Moses to illustrate leadership in times of transition. The story can be downloaded free from Bridges website (www.wmbridges.com – click on “Articles” then “Getting Them Through the Wilderness”). The Bridges website also has a checklist of transition readiness which offers some useful questions to consider regarding an organization’s readiness for change. While the language is tailored to private sector organizations, it could be easily adapted by substituting “congregation” for “organization,” “parishioners” for “employees,” and “elected leaders” and “informal leaders” for different levels of management (www.wmbridges.com – under” Articles,” click on “Assessment Tools” – there is a printer-friendly version). John Kotter’s website – www.OurIcebergIsMelting – contains some brief videos of Kotter on the need to change, some questions to ask relative to each of the eight steps he outlines, and links to other resources. Leading Change Resource Section 2 General Outline of Session 1. Opening Prayer and Meditation (suggested reading: Exodus 13:17-22) 2. Check-in 3. Introduction and looking at self (PowerPoint 1-2; Talking Points; Change Readiness Test found in Resource Section) 4. Debrief scores (PowerPoint 3; Talking Points; sharing with partners or large group discussion) 5. Congregational readiness (PowerPoint 4-5; Talking Points; Handout 1) 6. Small group discussion of responses to Handout 1 OR large group discussion 7. Debrief in large group if applicable 8. Managing change (PowerPoint 6-12; Talking Points; Handout 2 – case study) 9. Large group discussion of what leader did in case study to manage change 10. Steps in leading change (PowerPoint 13-23; Talking Points) 11. Applying the steps to current situation (Handout 3) 12. Small group discussion of responses to Handout 3 OR large group discussion 13. Debrief in large group if applicable 14. Wrap-up and closing prayer Leading Change Resource Section 3 Change-Readiness Assessment Circle the number beside each statement that reflects how accurately the statement describes you. Change Readiness Scale: 1 = Not Like Me 6 = Exactly Like Me 1. I prefer the familiar to the unknown ...................................................... 1 2 3 4 5 6 2. I rarely second-guess myself ............................................................... 1 2 3 4 5 6 3. I'm unlikely to change plans once they're set ........................................ 1 2 3 4 5 6 4. I can't wait for the day to get started ..................................................... 1 2 3 4 5 6 5. I believe in not getting your hopes too high........................................... 1 2 3 4 5 6 6. If something's broken, I try to find a way to fix it .................................... 1 2 3 4 5 6 7. I get impatient when there are no clear answers................................... 1 2 3 4 5 6 8. I'm inclined to establish routines and stay with them ............................. 1 2 3 4 5 6 9. I can make any situation work for me ................................................... 1 2 3 4 5 6 10. When something important doesn't work out, it takes me time to adjust ............................................................................................... 1 2 3 4 5 6 11. I have a hard time relaxing and doing nothing ...................................... 1 2 3 4 5 6 12. If something can go wrong, it usually does ........................................... 1 2 3 4 5 6 13. When I get stuck I'm inclined to improvise solutions ............................. 1 2 3 4 5 6 14. I get frustrated when I can't get a grip on something............................. 1 2 3 4 5 6 15. I prefer work that is similar and in my comfort zone .............................. 1 2 3 4 5 6 16. I can handle anything that comes along ............................................... 1 2 3 4 5 6 17. Once I've made up my mind, I don't easily change it ............................ 1 2 3 4 5 6 18. I push myself to the max ....................................................................... 1 2 3 4 5 6 19. My tendency is to focus on what can go wrong .................................... 1 2 3 4 5 6 20. When people need solutions to problems, they call on me ................... 1 2 3 4 5 6 21. When an issue is unclear, my impulse is to clarify it right away ............ 1 2 3 4 5 6 From website for leadership class taught by Associate Professor T. J. Jenney at Purdue www.tech.purdue.edu/ols/courses/ols386/crispo/changereadinesstest.doc 22. It pays to stay with the tried and true .................................................... 1 2 3 4 5 6 23. I focus on my strengths not my weaknesses ........................................ 1 2 3 4 5 6 24. I find it hard to give on something even if it's not working out ............... 1 2 3 4 5 6 25. I'm restless and full of energy ............................................................... 1 2 3 4 5 6 26. Things rarely work out the way you want them to ................................. 1 2 3 4 5 6 27. My strength is to find ways around obstacles ....................................... 1 2 3 4 5 6 28. I can't stand to leave things unfinished ................................................. 1 2 3 4 5 6 29. I prefer the main highway to the backroad ........................................... 1 2 3 4 5 6 30. My faith in my abilities is unshakable .................................................... 1 2 3 4 5 6 31. When in Rome, do as the Romans do .................................................. 1 2 3 4 5 6 32. I'm a vigorous and passionate person .................................................. 1 2 3 4 5 6 33. I'm more likely to see problems than opportunities ............................... 1 2 3 4 5 6 34. I look in unusual places to find solutions ............................................... 1 2 3 4 5 6 35. I don't perform well when there are vague expectations and goals ....... 1 2 3 4 5 6 2 The Seven Traits Of Change-Readiness Add the scores for the questions in each category as indicated below. Note that in some cases the total must be subtracted from 35 to get the score for that trait. Resourcefulness Adaptability 6. _____ 3. ______ 13. _____ 10. ______ 20. _____ 17. ______ 27. _____ 24. ______ 34. _____ 31. ______ _____ Score ______ Total ______ 35 – Total = Score Optimism Confidence 5. ______ 2. ______ 12. ______ 9. ______ 19. ______ 16. ______ 26. ______ 23. ______ 33. ______ 30. ______ ______ Total ______ Score ______ 35 – Total = Score Adventurousness Tolerance for Ambiguity 1. ______ 7. ______ 8. ______ 14. ______ 15. ______ 21. ______ 22. ______ 28. ______ 29. ______ 35. ______ ______ Total ______ Total ______ 35 – Total = Score ______ 35 – Total = Score Passion/Drive 4. ______ 11. ______ 18. ______ 25. ______ 32. ______ ______ Score 3 The Seven Traits Of Change-Readiness Understanding Your Scores Note: Optimal range for all categories is between 22 and 26. Resourcefulness: Resourceful people are effective at taking the most of any situation and utilizing whatever resources are available to develop plans and contingencies. They see more than one way to achieve a goal, and they're able to look in less obvious places to find help.